Any coffee aficionado who’s experienced acid reflux knows to tread carefully when choosing the right coffee. Sometimes, unfortunately, coffee and acid reflux go together.
Some doctors even recommend avoiding caffeinated drinks altogether if you suffer from conditions like GERD and interstitial cystitis. So how interested would you be in a substance that can reduce the acidity of coffee?
Coffee Tamers: Two Of The Best
Coffee Tamer’s main promise is that it lowers acidity. And unlike antacids, this happens before your victuals even meet your stomach. We checked out two market tamer options for this innovative product.
Wondering about its origins? In 1996, Ismail Macit Gurol patented a “method for reducing coffee acidity”. The Coffee Tamer trademark was registered in 2006.
You can purchase the 50ct 400mg packets or the nifty 1.2 ounces Shaker Bottle, which can be easily decanted. Both are effective. Most coffee drinkers won’t notice any change in the flavor of their cup of joe, but a very slight aftertaste might be noticeable to some.
Coffee Tamer 1.2oz Shaker Bottle
Coffee Tamer 50ct 400mg Packets
How To Make Coffee Less Acidic
You know that distinctive bitter taste coffee has? It’s caused primarily by the chlorogenic acids (CGAs). The CGAs are also the source of the beneficial antioxidants in coffee, but during the roasting and brewing process, they degrade. (That’s coffee chemistry for you.)
Coffee has nine major acids, released during the brewing process. The pH of most coffee ranges from around 4.85 to 5.10. As an aside, cold brew coffee has been found to have lower levels of acidity.
So How To Reduce Acid In Coffee?
Everything is either acidic, basic, or neutral (sometimes called alkaline) on the pH scale. Water, at 7, is neutral. Most coffees have a pH of around 4.8 to 5.1, so they fall on the acidic side of the scale.
To put that in context, vinegar’s pH is 3 and stomach acid has a pH of 1.5 to 3.5. At the other end of the scale, sodium hydroxide (lye) is around 14. In most homes, the most alkaline substances you’ll typically find will be baking soda, which is around 8.3.
It’s not just digestive issues either. The condition known as interstitial cystitis can be aggravated by the consumption of caffeine. There are anecdotal accounts of IC sufferers having found Coffee Tamer instrumental in allowing them to enjoy a cup of Joe. We’ve even heard of it being added to water, making the water slightly more alkaline. (The pH gets reduced by one.)
Doing What It Says On The Tin: What’s In Coffee Tamer?
The Coffee Tamer product, also available as CalciBlend, contains calcium carbonate as well as potassium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide, potassium chloride. There’s also a small amount of microcrystalline cellulose gum and cellulose gel.
It has no aluminum, cholesterol, corn, eggs, fat, gluten, lactose, milk, dyes, preservatives, soy, starch, sugar, wheat, or yeast. Or calories.
Concerned about the potassium hydroxide? You might find it reassuring that all Coffee Tamer ingredients are graded “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) by the FDA.
Can You Only Use Coffee Tamer In Coffee?
While the product has been formulated specifically to reduce acidity in caffeinated drinks, there are accounts of consumers using it effectively to enjoy coffee, tea, tomato-based spaghetti sauces, and even red and white wine. (There is also a specific CalciBlend product available called WineTamer).
Coffee Tamer works on pretty much all kinds of coffee: pour-over coffee, K Cup coffee, iced coffee… You can even use Coffee Tamer to reduce the acidity of cola based drinks, but it will result in a flatter drink, reducing some of the fizziness.
What’s The Dose, Again?
Dosing recommendations are one sachet to one cup of coffee. Stir the granules into the liquid for at least 30 seconds, otherwise, the effect will be lost.
For pots of coffee, you might need to experiment a little with the proportions. If it’s a twelve cup carafe, for instance, start with three packets, and if that’s too much, reduce it to two.
Special Effects – What Does Coffee Tamer Do To Your Drink?
This product may lighten your drink very slightly. Some users also find it makes the coffee very slightly cloudy.
Make sure you stir your drink well after adding the granules to make sure it’s well mixed. If you like to indulge in cream, sugar or other sweeteners, add them after the Coffee Tamer.
Pros & Cons
✔ Two great formats
✔ Sachets are perfect if you’re on the move
✔ The bottle is a great format and (very slightly) better value
✔ Odorless and most people won’t notice any change in flavor
✔ The ingredients have GRAS status (Generally Recognized As Safe)
✗ It can get a little pricey
✗ You might find you need to use more than you think initially
✗ You need to follow the instructions on the pack exactly
Other People’s Opinions
Pretty much everyone who’s tried the product raves about it. The Internet is packed with reviews from those who tried Coffee Tamer or CalciBlend straight from the bottle and then decided to invest in sachets to slip into their messenger bag or purse or vice versa.
Overall, around 88% of those who tried and reviewed this product, whichever package they opted for, give it either a 4 or 5-star rating. And while it’s mainly intended for use in drinks, it also works well with food, with Italian food in tomato-based sauces coming in for many honorable mentions.
Coffee And Acid Reflux: Happy Endings With Coffee Tamer
If you enjoy coffee, but you have a health condition that can make it tricky to cope with the acidity, this is a great product to add to your cup of Joe. So if you have an issue with GERD or acid reflux or interstitial cystitis, give Coffee Tamer a try.
Even if you don’t have any of these conditions, and you just feel like reducing the acidity in your coffee, add a little Coffee Tamer to your condiments. It could literally change your world for the better.
Coffee Tamer 1.2oz Shaker Bottle
Coffee Tamer 50ct 400mg Packets
Hi my name is Larry, a coffee aficionado from the US. I have already visited Colombia, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Ethiopia and Jamaica in my pursuit of finding the best-tasting coffee beans. I currently write from Bali and enjoy the relaxed life that you can only find in Canggu. Welcome to my coffee world!
Last update on 2023-02-02 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API.